Feed box cut-off gate

ABSTRACT

A cut-off gate for a feed box of a molding machine, and the like, has a plurality of cut-off shoes, each shoe associated with a respective compartment of an associated mold box of the molding machine and adjustably mounted on the cut-off gate so as to be adjusted independently of each other shoe for varying the height of articles molded in the mold box compartments. In this manner, the amount of material fed into each compartment of the mold box can be controlled to facilitate the simultaneous manufacture of, for example, different sizes of blocks in a single run in a common mold.

[451 May 27, 1975 FEED BOX CUT-OFF GATE [76] Inventor: George E. Kanta, Box 96, Three Forks, Mont. 59752 [22] Filed: Sept. 21, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 399,614

[52] US. Cl 425/219; 164/264 [51] Int. Cl. B29c 3/04 [58] Field of Search 425/218, 289, 290, 291,

425/292, 297, 448, 258, 256, 253, 447, DIG. 32, DIG. 125, 218, 219, 220; 164/262, 264, 161, 192, 193, 194; 249/155 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 752,464 2/1904 Murphy 425/289 1,268,226 6/1918 Flood 425/219 1,495,235 5/1924 Strickland 425/219 2,839,810 6/1958 Kovach 425/253 X 2,957,222 10/1960 Zmania 425/219 3,209,415 10/1965 King 164/264 3,397,435 8/1968 Jelesiewicz 425/258 X Primary ExaminerFrancis S. Husar Assistant Examiner-John S. Brown Attorney, Agent, or FirmClarence A. OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson [57] ABSTRACT A cut-off gate for a feed box of a molding machine, and the like, has a plurality of cut-off shoes, each shoe associated with a respective compartment of an associated mold box of the molding machine and adjustably mounted on the cut-off gate so as to be adjusted independently of each other shoe for varying the height of articles molded in the mold box compartments. In this manner, the amount of material fed into each compartment of the mold box can be controlled to facilitate the simultaneous manufacture of, for example, different sizes of blocks in a single run in a common mold.

13 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures SHEET PATENTEDf-iAYN 1915 mm mm m mm FEED BOX CUT-OFF GATE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to the manufacture of building blocks, and the like, and particularly to a cut-off gate for a feed box of a molding machine.

2. Description of the Prior Art At present, most building blocks are made in automatic machines which employ vibration and pressure to form the blocks. The blocks usually come from the machine on steel or wooden pallets and remain on these pallets until after curing, at which time the empty pallets are again returned to a block machine. The block mix, or cementitious material used to form the blocks, is advantageously made in a semi-wet state so that as the molded blocks are stripped out of their associated mold box they do not crumble or slump.

The blocks are manufactured by an operating cycle having steps of: placing a feed box under a hopper and permitting material to pass from the hopper into the feed box; moving the feed box from under the hopper with the charge of material and over a vibrating mold box; drawing the feed box back under the hopper; stripping the mold box from the block and carrying the block forward to what is generally referred to as an offbearing stand. It is to be understood that a hopper gate may be provided for controlling the size of the charge. The vibration of the mold box settles the material into the mold cavity and facilitates its packing, while a stripper head is conventionally used to further pack the material into the mold cavity and to also size the block to a predetermined height.

The height of a block is usually controlled by means of stops at each side of the mold box against which the stripper head rests. This arrangement, however, does not control the height and density of the block to satisfactory limits, as the variation in aggregate, including water content, gradiation, and the like, causes different rates of settling of the material into the mold cavity. Consequently, the cavity may sometimes leave too much or too little material for the stripper head to size. To offset this variation, the feed box cut-off gate is raised or lowered either automatically or mechanically to deposit sufficient material above the mold cavity as can be pressed into the predetermined height of the block in the cavity in a given period of time.

This known method of height and density control works quite well, especially when used with a single cavity mold or when a plurality of identical blocks are made in a multi-cavity mold. But, different kinds of blocks are run frequently together in different cavities of the same mold.

This combination of different blocks being made in a single multicavity mold can cause much difficulty in maintaining correct block height and density since some of the blocks require more material while others may require less material. The known feed box cut-off gates, however, are constructed so as to leave the same amount of material over each cavity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a cut-off gate for a feed box of a molding machine which allows individual control of the amount of material to be deposited above each cavity of a mold box associated with the feed box as a function of the size of block, and the like, being manufactured.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cut-off gate for a feed box of a molding machine which permits individual adjustment of each of a plurality of cut-off shoes adjustably mounted on the cutoff gate.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a cut-off gate which may be used with conventional feed boxes, and the like, without requiring modification of the feed box.

These and other'objects are achieved according to the present invention by providing a cut-off gate having a plurality of cut-off shoes, each shoe associated with a respective compartment of an associated mold box, and an arrangement for adjustably mounting the cut-off shoes on the cut-off gate to permit each shoe to be adjusted independently of each other shoe, whereby a height of an article molded in each mold box compartment is variable.

The cut-off shoes may be adjustably mounted by a cut-off bar assembly which includes a plurality of adjusting members, each adjusting member mounted on the bar and associated with a respective one of the cutoff shoes, and a device connected to the cut-off shoes for cooperatively engaging with the adjusting member and permitting the adjustment of the cut-off shoes independently from one another. A spring, and the like, may be included in the adjustably mounting arrangement for biasing the cut-off shoes away from the supporting structure of the cut-off bar assembly.

Another advantageous feature of a cut-off gate according to the present invention provides guiding structure for limiting transverse movement of the cut-off shoes and rigidifying the entire assembly.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully herinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view showing a cut-off gate mounted on the feed box of a molding machine and associated with compartments of the molding rriachines mold box.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, exploded, perspective view showing the structure of FIG. 1, but with some parts removed.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, top plan view showing one preferred embodiment of a feed box cut-off gate according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view, partly cutaway and in section, showing the feed box cut-off gate of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken generally along the line 66 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, top plan view, partly cutaway and in section, similar to FIG. 3, but showing another preferred embodiment of a feed box cut-off gate according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view, partly cutaway and in section, showing the feed box cut-off gate of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 99 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken generally along the line l--l0 of FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now more particularly to FIGS. I and 2 of the drawings, a conventional molding machine has a feed box 12 provided with a cut-off gate 14 according to the present invention and with a mold box 16 having baffle plates 18 mounted in a suitable manner over the conventional mold dividing plates (not shown). The baffle plates 18 cooperate with mold dividing plates of the mold box to form a plurality of compartments 20 which include the individual mold cavities of mold box 16. By the term compartments used in this specification and claims is meant a compartmented mold cavity formed by the conventional mold dividing plates and associated baffle plates 18. A plurality of cut-off shoes 22 are adjustably mounted on cut-off gate 14, with each shoe 22 being associated with a respective one of the compartments 20 for permitting variation of the height of articles (not shown) molded in the compartments 20.

Molding machine 10 may be of any suitable, known model, such as the V3-12A Vibrapac manufactured by the Besser Company of Alpena, Michigan.

As can be seen from FIGS, 3-6 of the drawings, cutoff shoes 22 are adjustably mounted on cut-off gate 14 by means of a cut-off bar assembly which includes a bar 24 provided with a ledge 25 and a cutout portion 26, and mountable on feed box 12 in a conventional manner. A plurality of adjusting members 28, which are advantageously headed bolts provided with screw threads, are arranged in apertures provided in ledge 25. Each adjusting member 28 is arranged in a respective aperture 29, and is associated with a respective one of the cut-off shoes 22. The shoes 22 themselves extend into cut-out portion 26. Nuts, and the like, threadingly engage the screw threads of adjusting members 28 for permitting adjustment of cut-off shoes 22 independently from one another. This construction is best seen in FIGS. 3 to 6 of the drawings. Conventional coiled compression springs 32, and the like, may be arranged with their coils around a shank of the bolts which form adjusting members 28, with each spring 32 arranged adjacent a respective adjusting member 28 with an end portion of the spring abutting a portion of bar 24 and the other end portion of the spring abutting the associated nut 30. The bias exerted by springs 32 tend to bias bar 24 and cut-off shoes 22 away from one another and prevents breakage of screw threads and bending of the cut-off shoes by introducing a flexibility into the structure.

A longitudinal abutment 34 may be arranged on ledge 25 adjacent hexagonal heads 36 of the bolts forming adjusting members 28 so as to prohibit heads 36 from rotating and changing the position of shoes 22 once a predetermined position has been set.

Cut-off gate 14, shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 of the drawings, has extending co-directionally from a plate 38, which cooperates with ledge 25 to form bar 24, a plurality of flanges 40 provided with openings 42. A longitudinal member 44, such as the illustrated rod, is arranged in openings 42 abutting cut-off shoes 22 for retaining the shoes between member 44 and plate 38. In

this manner, shoes 22 will be guided along a line, or in a plane, parallel to the plane of shoes 22 and the axis of adjusting members 28.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 to 10 of the drawings, a 5 modified embodiment of a cut-off gate according to the present invention is shown. This embodiment has, in addition to those elements common to the embodiment of FIGS. 3-6, a bar 46 similar to bar 24, but provided with a plate 48 on which are mounted a plurality of T- shaped guide brackets 50 as by conventional machine screws 52 threadingly engaged in threaded bores 54 formed in plate 48. The guide brackets 50 are arranged mounted on bar 46 between adjacent cut-off shoes 22 for partially overlapping shoes 22 and retaining same between brackets 50 and bar 46. The function of this guiding arrangement is the same as that set out above for the embodiment of FIGS. 3 to 6 of the drawings. Extensions 56 cooperate with plate 48 to form a cutout portion 58 into which shoes 22 extend. Ears 60 are in turn connected to extensions 56.

As can be readily understood from the above description and from the drawings, a mold cavity provided with baffle plates 18 according to the present invention separates one cavity, or compartment 20, from the others, and thus makes it easier to control the amount of material left over each mold cavity separately with adjustable feed box cut-off shoes 22. By proper construction of baffle plates 18 and related adjustment of shoes 22, a great variety of sizes and shapes of blocks can be made simultaneously in a single mold box.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all auitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is follows:

1. A cut-off gate for a feed box of a molding machine, comprising, in combination:

a. a plurality of cut-off shoes, each shoe associated with a respective compartment of an associated mold box; and

b. means for adjustably mounting the cut-off shoes on the cut-off gate and permitting each shoe to be adjusted independently of each other shoe whereby a height of an article molded in each mold box compartment is variable, the means for adjustably mounting including:

i. a bar mountable on a feed box;

ii. a plurality of adjusting members mounted on and spaced along the bar, each adjusting member associated with a respective one of the cut-off shoes;

iiiumeans connected to the cut-off shoes for cooperatively engaging with the adjusting members, mounting the shoes on the bar side-by-side in a common plane, and permitting the adjustment of the cut-off shoes independently from one another; and

iv. means for biasing the bar and cut-off shoes away from one another, the means for biasing including a plurality of compression springs, each spring arranged adjacent a respective adjusting member and with end portions of the spring abutting both the bar and the means for cooperatively engaging.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the adjusting members are headed bolts provided with screw threads, the means for cooperatively engaging are nuts threadingly engaging the bolt screw threads, and the springs are coiled springs each having coils arranged around a shank of a respective one of the bolts.

3. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein the means for adjustably mounting further includes means for guiding the cut-off shoes.

4. A structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the means for guiding includes a plurality of guide brackets, each bracket arranged mounted on the bar between adjacent cut-off shoes for partially overlapping the shoes and retaining the shoes between the bracket and the bar.

5. A structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the means for guiding includes a plurality of flanges arranged extending codirectionally from the bar between the shoes and provided with coaxial openings, each shoe bracketed by a pair of flanges, and a longitudinal member arranged in the openings and abutting the cutoff shoes for limiting movement of same between the longitudinal member and the bar.

6. A structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the means for guiding includes a plurality of flanges arranged extending codirectionally from the bar between the shoes and provided with coaxial openings, each shoe bracketed by a pair of flanges, and a longitudinal member arranged in the openings and abutting the cutoff shoes for limiting movement of same between the longitudinal member and the bar.

7. A cutoff gate for a feed box of a molding machine, comprising, in combination:

a. a plurality of cut-off shoes, each shoe associated with a respective compartment of an associated mold box;

. means for adjustably mounting the cut-off shoes on the cut-off gate and permitting each shoe to be adjusted independently of each other shoe whereby a height of an article molded in each mold box compartment is variable, the means for adjustably mounting including:

i. a bar mountable on a feed box;

ii. a plurality of adjusting members mounted on and spaced along the bar, each adjusting member associated with a respective one of the cut-off shoes;

iii. means connected to the cut-off shoes for cooperatively engaging with the adjusting members, mounting the shoes on the bar side-by-side in a common plane, and permitting the adjustment of the cut-off shoes independently from one another;

iv. means for biasing the bar and cut-off shoes away from one another; and

c. the adjusting members being headed bolts provided with screw threads, the means for cooperatively engaging being nuts threadingly engaging the screw threads of the bolts, and the means for biasing being a plurality of coiled compression springs, each of the springs provided with coils arranged around a shank of a respective one of the bolts.

8. A structure as defined in claim 7, wherein the means for adjustably mounting further includes means for guiding the cut-off shoes.

9. A structure as defined in claim 8, wherein the means for guiding includes a plurality of guide brackets, each bracket arranged mounted on the bar between adjacent cut-off shoes for partially overlapping the shoes and retaining the shoes between the bracket and the bar.

10. In a combination which includes a mold box of a molding machine and a cooperating cut-off gate mounted on an associated feed box of the molding machine, the improvement comprising, at least one baffle dividing the mold box into a plurality of compartments, and a plurality of cut-off shoes adjustably mounted on the cut-off gate, each of the plurality of shoes associated with a respective one of the compartments for permitting variation of a height of articles molded in the compartments, the means for adjustably mounting including:

i. a bar including a ledge and a cut-out portion, and

mounted on the feed box;

ii. a plurality of adjusting members mounted on and spaced along the ledge of the bar, each adjusting member associated with a respective one of the cut-off shoes; and

iii. means connected to the cut-off shoes for cooperatively engaging with the adjusting members, mounting the shoes on the bar side-by-side in a common plane extending from the ledge of the bar into the cut-out portion thereof, and permitting the adjustment of the cut-off shoes independently from one another, the means for cooperatively engaging including means for biasing the bar and cut-off shoes away from one another.

11. A structure as defined in claim 10, wherein the means for adjustably mounting includes means for guiding the cut-off shoes.

12. A cut-off gate for a feed box of a molding machine, comprising, in combination:

a. a cut-off bar assembly including a bar provided with a ledge and a cut-out portion adjustably mounted on a feed box;

b. a plurality of cut-off shoes, each shoe associated with a respective compartment of an associated mold box;

c. a plurality of adjusting members mounted on and spaced along the ledge of the bar, each adjusting member being associated with a respective one of the cut-off shoes; and means connected to the cut-off shoes for cooperatively engaging with the adjusting members, mounting the shoes in the bar side-by-side in a common plane extending from the ledge of the bar into the cut-out portion thereof, and permitting each shoe to be adjusted independently of each other shoe for varying a height of an article molded in each mold box compartment.

13. A structure as defined in claim 12, wherein the means for adjustably mounting further includes means for biasing the bar and cut-off shoes away from one another. 

1. A cut-off gate for a feed box of a molding machine, comprising, in combination: a. a plurality of cut-off shoes, each shoe associated with a respective compartment of an associated mold box; and b. means for adjustably mounting the cut-off shoes on the cutoff gate and permitting each shoe to be adjusted independently of each other shoe whereby a height of an article molded in each mold box compartment is variable, the means for adjustably mounting including: i. a bar mountable on a feed box; ii. a plurality of adjusting members mounted on and spaced along the bar, each adjusting member associated with a respective one of the cut-off shoes; iii. means connected to the cut-off shoes for cooperatively engaging with the adjusting members, mounting the shoes on the bar side-by-side in a common plane, and permitting the adjustment of the cut-off shoes independently from one another; and iv. means for biasing the bar and cut-off shoes away from one another, the means for biasing including a plurality of compression springs, each spring arranged adjacent a respective adjusting member and with end portions of the spring abutting both the bar and the means for cooperatively engaging.
 2. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the adjusting members are headed bolts provided with screw threads, the means for cooperatively engaging are nuts threadingly engaging the bolt screw threads, and the springs are coiled springs each having coils arranged around a shank of a respective one of the bolts.
 3. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein the means for adjustably mounting further includes means for guiding the cut-off shoes.
 4. A structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the means for guiding includes a plurality of guide brackets, each bracket arranged mounted on the bar between adjacent cut-off shoes for partially overlapping the shoes and retaining the shoes between the bracket and the bar.
 5. A structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the means for guiding includes a plurality of flanges arranged extending codirectionally from the bar between the shoes and provided with coaxial openings, each shoe bracketed by a pair of flanges, and a longitudinal member arranged in the openings and abutting the cut-off shoes for limiting movement of same between the longitudinal member and the bar.
 6. A structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the means for guiding includes a plurality of flanges arranged extending codirectionally from the bar between the shoes and provided with coaxial openings, each shoe bracketed by a pair of flanges, and a longitudinal member arranged in the openings and abutting the cut-off shoes for limiting movement of same between the longitudinal member and the bar.
 7. A cutoff gate for a feed box of a molding machine, comprising, in combination: a. a plurality of cut-off shoes, each shoe associated with a respective compartment of an associated mold box; b. means for adjustably mounting the cut-off shoes on the cut-off gate and permitting each shoe to be adjusted independently of each other shoe whereby a height of an article molded in each mold box compartment is variable, the means for adjustably mounting including: i. a bar mountable on a feed box; ii. a plurality of adjusting members mounted on and spaced along the bar, each adjusting member associated with a respective one of the cut-off shoes; iii. means connected to the cut-off shoes for cooperatively engaging with the adjusting members, mounting the shoes on the bar side-by-side in a common plane, and permitting the adjustment of the cut-off shoes independently from one another; iv. means for biasing the bar and cut-off shoes away from one another; and c. the adjusting members being headed bolts provided with screw threads, the means for cooperatively engaging being nuts threadingly engaging the screw threads of the bolts, and the means for biasing being a plurality of coiled compression springs, each of the springs provided with coils arranged around a shank of a respective one of the bolts.
 8. A structure as defined in claim 7, wherein the means for adjustably mounting further includes means for guiding the cut-off shoes.
 9. A structure as defined in claim 8, wherein the means for guiding includes a plurality of guide brackets, each bracket arranged mounted on the bar between adjacent cut-off shoes for partially overlapping the shoes and retaining the shoes between the bracket and the bar.
 10. In a combination which includes a mold box of a molding machine and a cooperating cut-off gate mounted on an associated feed box of the molding machine, the improvement comprising, at least one baffle dividing the mold box into a plurality of compartments, and a plurality of cut-off shoes adjustably mounted on the cut-off gate, each of the plurality of shoes associated with a respective one of the compartments for permitting variation of a height of articles molded in the compartments, the means for adjustably mounting including: i. a bar including a ledge and a cut-out portion, and mounted on the feed box; ii. a plurality of adjusting members mounted on and spaced along the ledge of the bar, each adjusting member associated with a respective one of the cut-off shoes; and iii. means connected to the cut-off shoes for cooperatively engaging with the adjusting members, mounting the shoes on the bar side-by-side in a common plane extending from the ledge of the bar into the cut-out portion thereof, and permitting the adjustment of the cut-off shoes independently from one another, the means for cooperatively engaging including means for biasing the bar and cut-off shoes away from one another.
 11. A structure as defined in claim 10, wherein the means for adjustably mounting includes means for guiding the cut-off shoes.
 12. A cut-off gate for a feed box of a molding machine, comprising, in combination: a. a cut-off bar assembly including a bar provided with a ledge and a cut-out portion adjustably mounted on a feed box; b. a plurality of cut-off shoes, each shoe associated with a respective compartment of an associated mold box; c. a plurality of adjusting members mounted on and spaced along the ledge of the bar, each adjusting member being associated with a respective one of the cut-off shoes; and d. means connected to the cut-off shoes for cooperatively engaging with the adjusting members, mounting the shoes in the bar side-by-side in a common plane extending from the ledge of the bar into the cut-out portion thereof, and permitting each shoe to be adjusted independently of each other shoe for varying a height of an article molded in each mold box compartment.
 13. A structure as defined in claim 12, wherein the means for adjustably mounting further includes means for biasing the bar and cut-off shoes away from one another. 